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With direct downloads and other digital purchases growing in popularity even among console gamers, brick-and-mortar game retailers are looking for new ways to stay relevant well into the future. To that end, GameStop-owned EB Games Australia is conducting an interesting experiment that essentially turns its shelves full of used games into a massive lending library for a flat, monthly fee.

As Press Start reports, EB Games has opened up the "Swap 'n' Play" program for testing in South Australia for AUS$19.95 a month (about $16). The program lets you take out any used game you want, one at a time, then return it in exchange for another when you're done. Players can cancel any time after an initial two-month commitment.

While the program was originally limited to used games that sell for under $50, that limit has since been dropped. That means even relatively new releases can be rented out as long as a used copy is available in the store, which often happens just a few days after the "initial release.

"We created Swap ‘n’ Play to add value for our regular customers, especially parents," an EB Games representative told Press Start. "Over school holidays, it's not unusual for families to be in and out our doors finding new games to play. Swap 'n' Play allows for a hassle-free and more affordable shop."

Right now there's no indication that GameStop or EB Games plans to extend the Swap 'n' Play program outside of South Australia. If they do, though, it could do a lot to provide gamers worldwide with easy access to a large chunk of recent gaming history. What's more, it would provide a newfound reason for those gamers to actually get up and go to a brick and mortar retailer instead of sticking with Amazon shipments and digital downloads. What a concept!

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Kyle Orland
Kyle is the Senior Gaming Editor at Ars Technica, specializing in video game hardware and software. He has journalism and computer science degrees from University of Maryland. He is based in the Washington, DC area. Emailkyle.orland@arstechnica.com//Twitter@KyleOrl